The invention relates to a sensor, especially a temperature sensor, having at least one sensor element and a housing enclosing the sensor element. In a region facing away from the sensor element the housing has current lead-ins connecting the electrical connection leads of the sensor elements to outer connection leads. The sensor element is arranged in a region of the housing facing the measurement. Between the sensor element and the current lead-ins there is provided at least one spacing element made of electrically insulating material and having recesses for guiding the connection leads between the sensor element and the current lead-ins. The invention also relates to use of the sensor.
From German published patent application DE 38 27 937 A1, a sensor pick-up is known which comprises a measuring circuit with a sensor element which is enclosed by a housing. The housing is provided with a cap-like connection element, which accommodates one end of a connection cable. Inside the housing thereof, the measuring circuit is connected with the connection cable through a multi-branch, flexible conducting piece. Here, the conducting piece and the sensor element are situated on a support member, wherein the conducting piece and the branches of the connection cable projecting out of the connection element are directly connected with one another. The comparatively complex construction, as well as the fixed connection between the connection cable and the sensor pick-up, proves to be problematic, so that a flexible use or a customer-specific adaptation of the sensor is possible only with difficulty.
From European Patent EP 0 772 959 B1, a water-tight housing with a plug connection is known for protection of electronic circuits, wherein the housing has an upper part and a lower part, and between the two parts, an injected sealant of soft plastic is provided, which is inserted between the upper and lower parts made of hard plastic. The housing has a plug element, whose inner part made of hard plastic contains contact pins and is constructed in one piece with the upper and lower parts, wherein the plug part has a sealing collar of soft plastic enclosing its inner part. The comparatively complex construction, as well as the relatively strong encapsulation of electronic components, proves to be problematic so that, for example, an electronic temperature monitoring by means of a built-in sensor element is possible only with difficulty. Furthermore, due to the complex structure, a customer-specific adaptation of the design is not possible without further ado.